Oregon Gun Laws

Oregon

The northwest state of Oregon operates on a shall-issue policy. With that, the state can issue a permit at the local level through the county sheriff's office to those who were able to satisfy and meet the requirements set by the law. However, the law also authorizes the issuing officers to deny license application when there is reasonable ground to believe that an applicant can be a danger to himself and to others. 

When purchasing a firearm, the state does not require a purchase permit. However, all private-party firearms transfers must be conducted through a licensed firearms dealer, and both parties must be present during the transaction. Before the transaction, the dealer is legally required to conduct a background check on the buyer of the firearm and to keep a record of the sale. The record must then be submitted to the Oregon State Police for recordkeeping, with which each record is kept on file for five years. 

Open carry is also permitted by and is legal in the state of Oregon. No license is required when carrying a firearm openly, but the state gave authorization to cities and counties to impose restrictions on who may or may not open carry in public places. As a general rule, a person who is legally permitted to possess a firearm over the age of 18 years old can open carry their guns in places that are not tagged as off-limits. Meanwhile, concealed carry in the state of Oregon is legal as long as the carrier possesses an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL). Applications for gun permits are available for all residents who are at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence in handling and carrying a handgun. That being said, the license applicant must have completed an approved firearm training course or have participated in organized shooting competitions. Military experience can also be used as proof of competence. Non-residents who live in contiguous states may apply for a CHL. In terms of reciprocity, Oregon does not honor permits from any other state.

To learn more about the gun permit and gun laws in the state of Oregon, this quick guide will answer all your questions. 

Oregon CCW License

In order to apply for an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL), you must: 

  • Be at least 21 years of age;
  • Demonstrate competence with a handgun;
  • Provide proof of residency (Oregon driver's license, voter registration card, etc.);
  • Have a current address on his or her driver's license;
  • Be a citizen of the U.S.;
  • Not have been convicted of a felony or found "guilty, except for insanity" of a felony;
  • Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor or found "guilty, except for insanity" of a misdemeanor within the four years prior to the application;
  • Not have been committed to the Oregon Health Authority;
  • Not have been found to be mentally ill and not be subject to an order that the person be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm as a result of that mental illness;
  • Have no outstanding warrants for his or her arrest;
  • Not have been convicted of an offense involving controlled substances or have participated in a court-supervised drug diversion program including a misdemeanor conviction for the possession of marijuana (unless it is the person's first conviction or drug diversion);
  • Not be on any form of pretrial release;
  • Not be registered as a sex offender in any state;
  • Not have been discharged from the jurisdiction of a juvenile court in the previous four years if under such jurisdiction for committing an act which, if committed by an adult, would have constituted a felony or a misdemeanor;
  • Not have received a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces;
  • Not be subject to a citation for stalking or a protective order issued pursuant to certain statutory provisions; and
  • Meet federal law requirements.

The following steps are required to be followed when applying for a gun permit in Oregon:

STEP 1: Complete a firearm training course if required.

STEP 2: Complete an application form at your local county sheriff's office or download the application.

STEP 3: Submit the completed application to the county sheriff's office. The following documents must also be submitted with your application:

  • Training course certificate; 
  • Stamped, self-addressed envelope in which to mail your license; and
  • Two forms of ID. 

STEP 4: Have yourself fingerprinted.

STEP 5: You will be notified by mail if your application has been approved.

You need to renew your Oregon Concealed Handgun License on or before the expiration date, as indicated in the license. An expired license will remain valid for up to 45 days after the expiration date if the licensee:

  • Applies for renewal before the original license expires;
  • Has proof of the application for renewal; and 
  • Was not denied when he/she applied for a renewal. 

Follow these steps to renew your Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL): 

STEP 1: Obtain an application form at your local county sheriff's office. Some counties have an application you can download.

STEP 2: Submit the completed application to the county sheriff's office with the following:

  • Your current/expired Concealed Handgun License; and
  • Your Oregon Driver's License.

STEP 3: Pay the fee.

STEP 4: You may receive a new CHL the same day. If not, you will be notified by mail if your application has been approved. 

The following are the associated fees in applying for or renewing a gun permit in Oklahoma:

Initial Permit (4 year validity)

$65.00

Renewals (4 year validity)

$50.00

Processing Time

45 days

Oregon CCW Laws

Vehicle Carry

YES – Without a Permit/License

It is not prohibited to carry a loaded firearm inside a vehicle as long as it is not concealed or not readily accessible. However, counties have the authority to impose restrictions on carrying a firearm inside a vehicle. If you possess a license, then you can carry a loaded firearm inside a vehicle and conceal it. 

Must Notify Officer

NO – Must Inform Officer on Contact By Law

Oregon gun laws don’t say that you need immediately inform law enforcement you are carrying a weapon if stopped by them. The laws do state that you must have with you at all times you are carrying a firearm your permit and produce this when requested.

The Law:
ORS 166.292

Open Carry

YES – Without a Permit/License

You are legally entitled to open carry in Oregon, with the minimum age being 18. However, counties have the authority to impose restrictions on openly carrying a firearm. Please check the local laws for reference. 

Constitutional Carry

NO

Oregon is NOT a constitutional carry state. 

No Weapons Signs Enforced

YES/NO

“No Weapons” signs are not mentioned in Oregon gun laws. There are no legal penalties for entering a private property or business that has posted these signs. But private owners can prohibit the carrying of weapons on their property. This also includes persons who have a handgun license

Oregon Gun Forms & Supporting Documentation

Purchase and Possession

PURCHASE
Any lawful resident of Oregon may purchase, receive by trade or obtain a shotgun or rifle in a bordering state and transport that firearm into or receive that firearm in Oregon given that the purchase or transfer complies with all federal laws, Oregon state laws and the laws of the state of purchase.

It is illegal in the state of Oregon to deliver, sell or transfer a firearm to a convicted felon lacking the reestablishment of his or her civil rights, a fugitive from justice with a warrant or warrants for their arrest, a person under the age of 18, convicts of misdemeanor violent crimes or persons found innocent by way of insanity, persons currently free while awaiting trial for a felony, a resident who has been coercively committed to the Oregon Department of Human Services or a resident who can be found in the Health Division Registry.

Exempt from this regulation are temporary transfers of rifles or shotguns to persons under the age of 18 for the purpose of lawful hunting or target shooting and transfers to persons under the age of 18 facilitated by a parent or guardian of the minor.

The state of Oregon mandates that all dealers and pawnbrokers maintain a record of any transaction involving a handgun. Each record must include the date, time, place of transaction, name of dealer or employee facilitating the transaction, and the make, model and manufacturer’s number of the handgun in transaction.

Potential handgun buyers must be able to adequately prove their identity, sign the record, and submit to the collection of thumbprints. Two copies of this record must be created, one of which shall be sent to the state police and the other to the local police on the day of firearm transaction.Prior to completing a firearms transaction, all gun dealers must call the Department of State Police and request a check of a buyer’s criminal history record. An immediate check and decision on the buyer’s qualification or disqualification to purchase a firearm shall be rendered by the Department and the buyer shall incur a $10 fee for this check. After passing this check, the buyer may receive the handgun so long as it is delivered unloaded.

Proprietors of firearms participating in gun shows or events are also mandated to request a criminal history record check prior to the completion of any firearm transaction. All other persons wishing to transfer a firearm may request a criminal history check at their own discretion.

POSSESSION
The state of Oregon does not require a permit to possess a rifle, shotgun or handgun. No convict of a felony may possess a firearm unless:
·      The felony consisted of marijuana possession prior to January 1, 1972;
·      The convict’s record has been expunged;
·      The offense was reduced to a misdemeanor by the convicting court;
·      The state of Oregon has granted relief from the disability to the convict based on state or Federal law; or
·      The convict has only been found guilty of a single felony under state or federal law, given that the crime did not pertain to homicide or the use or possession of a switchblade or firearm and that the convict was released incarceration, probation or parole 15 years prior to the convicts attempt to possess a firearm. Anyone wishing to make use of this exception should seek the advice of a lawyer prior to possessing a firearm.

Carrying a Firearm

It is illegal in the state of Oregon to carry a concealed firearm about one’s person or in one’s vehicle without maintaining a state-issued license to carry a concealed firearm.

All of the following are exempted from this regulation:
·      Active duty or honorably retired law enforcement personnel or active duty correctional officers.
·      Active or reserve duty United States Military Personnel.
·      Firearms dealers or traders transporting firearms designated as merchandise.
·      Lawful gun owners possessing a handgun within the boundaries of their places or residence or business.
·      Active members of an organized shooting or target shooting club when en route to and from a designated shooting range or event.
·      Licensed participants in lawful hunting or fishing while en route to and from a designated hunting or fishing area.
·      Any authorized military or civilian group or organization while en route to and from a formal meeting of that group or organization or while participating in a parade.

Any firearm may be openly carried in a lawful belt holster as they are not classified by Oregon as concealed.

All persons who properly submit an application for a license to carry a concealed firearm to the sheriff of the applicant’s county of residence shall have their photograph and fingerprints taken and shall receive their sheriff-issued license to carry a concealed firearm within a period of no more than 45 days of the submission given that the applicant:
·      is 21 years of age or older;
·      is not a fugitive from justice with an outstanding warrant for his or her arrest;
·      primarily resides in the county of application;
·      is not currently awaiting trial and prosecution and is free on bail or pretrial release;
·      is free from any felony conviction or dismissal of a conviction due to insanity;
·      can provide evidence or be able to demonstrate handgun safety competence due to military training, safety program participation or previous or current ownership of a license;  
·      is free from any misdemeanor conviction or dismissal due to insanity within the past four years;
·       has never been coercively committed to the Mental Health and Developmental Disability Services Division;·      is a lawful citizen of the United States of America or a resident alien of Oregon who can provide documentation to the county sheriff evidencing six or months or consecutive residency and can produce a written statement attesting to the applicant’s clear intent to become a citizen of the U.S that has also been submitted to the Immigration and Naturalization Service;
·      has not been convicted or cited for unlawful stalking activities and is not subject to a protective court order;·      is no longer subject to incarceration or adjudication by a juvenile court, and has not been for the past four years, due to conviction of an offense that, as an adult, would be considered a violent misdemeanor or felony; or·      has never been judged to be mentally ill and is not under the restrictions of a court order that prohibits firearm possession or purchase by the applicant.

All Oregon concealed firearms licenses shall be recognized throughout the state for a period of no more than four years. The Department of State Police shall collect a $15 fee from each applicant to cover the cost of recording fingerprints. Applicants shall incur an issuance fee of $50 (subsequent renewals also cost $50). Lost licenses or licenses requiring an update due to an applicant’s change of address may be replaced for $15. Applicants denied a license or applicants who have had their license revoked or not renewed may file a petition with the proper circuit court in the applicants’ primary count of residence, given that this petition is filed within a period of no more than 30 days after being notified of the license revocation or denial.

It is illegal to carry a loaded firearm while utilizing or riding a snowmobile.

The authority issuing, processing or investigating an application is not liable to civil or criminal litigation.

Antiques & Replicas

The state of Oregon defines an “antique firearm” as a firearm that was originally manufactured in or prior to the year 1898 or a replica of a firearm manufactured in or prior to the year 1898 given that the replica is not designed or altered to fire fixed ammunition (Replicas that fire fixed ammunition that is difficult to acquire through standard commercial trade).

Machine Guns

Machine guns, sawed-off rifles and shotguns and silencers may only be possessed if they are properly registered in compliance with all relevant federal laws. Any citizen possessing any of these items must also maintain on their person documentation evidencing the lawful registration of the item.

Range Protection

All lawful owners, operators and users of a pistol, rifle, skeet, trap, black powder, silhouette or other type of shooting ranger are protected from all civil and criminal litigation pertinent to noise or noise pollution violations.

OR. REV. STAT. ANN. §467. 131 (2012)

§467. 131. Civil or criminal liability exemptions, noise from shooting range

Any owner, operator or lessee of a rifle, pistol, silhouette, skeet, trap, black powder or other shooting range in this state shall be immune from civil or criminal liability based upon an allegation of noise or noise pollution so long as:

(1) The allegation results from the normal and accepted activity on the shooting range;

(2) The owner, operator or lessee complied with any applicable noise control law or ordinance existing at the time construction of the shooting range began or no noise control law or ordinance was then existing; and

(3) The allegation results from activity on the shooting range occurring between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. or conducted for law enforcement training purposes.

Oregon Concealed Carry Reciprocity

Oregon's Reciprocity States

States honoring a Oregon ccw license

RESIDENT LICENSE
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia

 

NON-RESIDENT LICENSE
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia

CCW licenses Oregon honors

Oregon does not honor any other states concealed carry licenses.

States not honoring a Oregon ccw license

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Districts & Territories
District of Columbia

Places where you CAN’T carry in Oregon

  • Posted private property where the owner prohibits firearms
  • Posted private businesses
  • State courthouses
  • Correctional facility
  • Racecourse
  • Indian reservation and some casinos on reservations, unless permission granted
  • Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by Federal Law.

Places where you CAN carry in Oregon

  • State parks
  • State and national forests
  • Roadside rest areas
  • Vehicle
  • All areas of the state - except those listed as off-limits

Miscellaneous

It is illegal in Oregon to:
·      set a spring-loaded firearm or trap unless the trap is purposed to kill burrowing rodents.
·      alter, remove or destroy an identifying mark or serial number of a handgun. Oregon shall presume that anyone possessing such a handgun is the offender.
·      possess or carry any firearm on the grounds of a public or private school, university, college, state official’s residence, hospital, or a capitol building though Oregon concealed firearms license holders are exempt from this law.
·      fire or otherwise discharge a firearm or rifle utilizing an air-fired projectile weapon across or on a public road, lake or other water shores, or a railway crossing.
·      willfully aim or point any firearm, loaded or unloaded, towards another person unless it is done to defend oneself. Municipalities and localities of Pennsylvania have no authority to enact or legislate their own regulations in regards to the purchase, use, ownership, transfer, transport or possession of any firearm. No state laws pertinent to firearms may be altered, abolished or otherwise changed.

Frequently Asked Questions

A license to carry a handgun is issued at the local level by the county sheriff’s office. 

The application for a concealed carry permit/license must be processed within 45 days after the application is received. 

 It is not prohibited to carry a loaded firearm inside a vehicle as long as it is not concealed or not readily accessible. However, counties have the authority to impose restrictions on carrying a firearm inside a vehicle. If you possess a license, then you can carry a loaded firearm inside a vehicle and conceal it. 

Yes. The owner of private property can ban firearms inside their own property – even if the carrier has a license. 

Only concealed handguns are covered by the gun permit. 

Yes, you will need to file a petition in the circuit court within 30 days from receiving your denial or revocation letter.

Oregon Off Limit Statute

(5) Firearms, Weapons, and Explosives: Within a Designated Recreation Area a Person may not:
 (a) Hunt, pursue, trap, kill, injure, molest, or disturb the habitat of any bird or animal without first obtaining permission from the Forester;
 (b) Discharge any firearm, pellet gun, bow and arrow, slingshot or other weapon capable of injuring any Person, bird, or animal; or
 (c) Discharge or cause to be discharged any firecrackers, explosives, torpedoes, rockets, fireworks, sky lanterns, or other substances which could be harmful to visitors or forest resources without written permission of the Forester.

DOF 1-2016, f. & cert.

(1) Any person who intentionally possesses a loaded or unloaded firearm or any other instrument used as a
dangerous weapon, while in or on a public building, shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class C felony.
(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a person who intentionally
possesses:

 (A) A firearm in a court facility is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class C felony. A person who
 intentionally possesses a firearm in a court facility shall surrender the firearm to a law enforcement
 officer.

 (B) A weapon, other than a firearm, in a court facility may be required to surrender the weapon to a law
 enforcement officer or to immediately remove it from the court facility. A person who fails to comply
 with this subparagraph is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class C felony.

(C) A firearm in a local court facility is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class C felony if, prior to the
 offense, the presiding judge of the local court facility entered an order prohibiting firearms in the
 area in which the court conducts business and during the hours in which the court operates.
 (b) The presiding judge of a judicial district may enter an order permitting the possession of specified
 weapons in a court facility.
 (c) Within a shared court facility, the presiding judge of a municipal court or justice of the peace
 district may not enter an order concerning the possession of weapons in the court facility that is in
 conflict with an order entered by the presiding judge of the circuit court.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:
 (a) A police officer or reserve officer, as those terms are defined in ORS 181A.355..
 (b) A parole and probation officer, as defined in ORS 181A.355, while the parole and probation officer is
 acting within the scope of employment..
 (e) An honorably retired law enforcement officer.
 (f) An active or reserve member of the military forces of this state or the United States, when engaged in
 the performance of duty.
 (g) A person who is licensed under ORS 166.291 and 166.292 to carry a concealed handgun.
 (j) Possession of a firearm on school property if the firearm:
 (A) Is possessed by a person who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing the firearm; and
 (B) Is unloaded and locked in a motor vehicle.
(4)(a) The exceptions listed in subsection (3)(d) to (j) of this section constitute affirmative defenses to a charge of violating subsection (1) of this section.
 (b) A person may not use the affirmative defense described in subsection (3)(e) of this section if the  person has been convicted of an offense that would make the person ineligible to obtain a concealed  handgun license under ORS 166.291 and 166.292.
(5)(a) Any person who knowingly, or with reckless disregard for the safety of another, discharges or attempts to discharge a firearm at a place that the person knows is a school shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class C felony.
 (b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply to the discharge of a firearm:
(A) As part of a program approved by a school in the school by an individual who is participating in the program;
 (B) By a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity; or
 (C) By an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture, acting within the scope of employment, in the course of the lawful taking of wildlife.
(6) Any weapon carried in violation of this section is subject to the forfeiture provisions of ORS 166.279.
(7) Notwithstanding the fact that a person’s conduct in a single criminal episode constitutes a violation of both subsections (1) and (5) of this section, the district attorney may charge the person with only one of the offenses.

(8) As used in this section, “dangerous weapon” means a dangerous weapon as that term is defined in ORS 161.015

§2; 2015 c.709 §4

(1) “Capitol building” means the Capitol, the State Office Building, the State Library Building, the Labor and Industries Building, the State Transportation Building, the Agriculture Building or the Public Service Building and includes any new buildings which may be constructed on the same grounds as an addition to the group of buildings listed in this subsection.
(2) “Court facility” means a courthouse or that portion of any other building occupied by a circuit court, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court or the Oregon Tax Court or occupied by personnel related to the operations of those courts, or in which activities related to the operations of those courts take place.
(3) “Judge” means a judge of a circuit court, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, the Oregon Tax Court, a municipal court, a probate court or a juvenile court or a justice of the peace.
(4) “Judicial district” means a circuit court district established under ORS 3.012 or a justice of the peace district established under ORS 51.020.
(5) “Juvenile court” has the meaning given that term in ORS 419A.004.
(6) “Loaded firearm” means:
 (a) A breech-loading firearm in which there is an unexpended cartridge or shell in or attached to the firearm including but not limited to, in a chamber, magazine or clip which is attached to the firearm.
 (b) A muzzle-loading firearm which is capped or primed and has a powder charge and ball, shot or projectile in the barrel or cylinder.
(7) “Local court facility” means the portion of a building in which a justice court, a municipal court, a probate court or a juvenile court conducts business, during the hours in which the court operates.
(8) “Probate court” has the meaning given that term in ORS 111.005.
(9) “Public building” means a hospital, a capitol building, a public or private school, as defined in ORS 339.315, a college or university, a city hall or the residence of any state official elected by the state at large, and the grounds adjacent to each such building. The term also includes that portion of any other building occupied by an agency of the state or a municipal corporation, as defined in ORS 297.405, other than a court facility.
(10) “Weapon” means:
 (a) A firearm;
 (b) Any dirk, dagger, ice pick, slingshot, metal knuckles or any similar instrument or a knife, other than an ordinary pocketknife with a blade less than four inches in length, the use of which could inflict injury upon a person or property;
 (c) Mace, tear gas, pepper mace or any similar deleterious agent as defined in ORS 163.211;
 (d) An electrical stun gun or any similar instrument;
 (e) A tear gas weapon as defined in ORS 163.211;
 (f) A club, bat, baton, billy club, bludgeon, knobkerrie, nunchaku, nightstick, truncheon or any similar instrument, the use of which could inflict injury upon a person or property; or
 (g) A dangerous or deadly weapon as those terms are defined in ORS 161.015. 2015 c.351 §1]

(1) (Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a peace officer may examine a firearm possessed by anyone on the person while in or on a public building to determine whether the firearm is a loaded firearm.

(2) A person who is licensed under ORS 166.291 and 166.292 to carry a concealed handgun may present a valid concealed handgun license to the peace officer instead of providing the firearm to the peace officer for examination.

[1969 c.705 §3; 2015 c.605 §1]

(5) No person will leave or carry onto the grounds of the facility explosive devices, firearms, ammunition, alcoholic beverages, narcotics, dangerous drugs, and objects or material of any kind which might be used to compromise the security, sound order, or discipline of the facility.

(w) Possess on a racecourse any deadly weapon or firearm, a BB gun, blow gun, pellet gun or similar device, except law enforcement officers, commission officials and security personnel.

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